July
Weyerhaeuser announces sale of Wimer; Retired New Era editor named parade grand marshal; SH grad appears on TV
Weyerhaeuser announced that it would sell Wimer Logging, a subsidiary of Willamette Industries, which was acquired by Weyerhaeuser earlier in the year.
Pete Porter, former sports and religion editor of The New Era, was grand marshal for the Sportsman’s Holiday Parade.
School District 55 Supt. Bill Hampton retired and went fishing. Supt. Larry Horton went to work.
Tracee Scott received a scholarship to dance at Hawaii Pacific University. Nate Tyler announced he would play basketball for George Fox University after two years at Chemeketa Community College. Both are Sweet Home High School graduates.
Wes Rowley of Keizer was hired as the new building official.
The School Board appointed David Kem and Diane Gerson to fill vacancies left by the resignations of Bob Keller and Kevin Burger.
McCollum logging won the Logger’s Olympics title.
After some 40 years as a volunteer firefighter, Arvis Cannon retired.
Sweet Home High School graduate Kurt Mechals, an San Diego deputy district attorney, was featured in the TV series, “Crime and Punishment.”
The Sweet Home City Council decided to plan a $2 million demonstration project for 2003. The demonstration project would help officials decide what combination of new pipes and expanded treatment plants would decrease inflow and infiltration the most for the least amount of money.
The Huskies hosted the Oregon Junior Wrestling National Training Camp in wrestling.
A Lebanon boy, Kevin Lyle-Mayer McDaniel, was killed in an all-terrain vehicle accident off Highway 20 near the Mountain House. Passenger Travis Adam Powers suffered a broken leg.
Lebanon Community Hospital celebrated 50 years of service.
The Oregon Transportation Committee approved a project to overlay and widen Highway 228. The project will cost about $825,000.
August
Two high school students die in accidents; City settles contracts; Jamboree celebrates 10 years
Martina McBride, Asleep at the Wheel, Keith Urban, Clay Walker, Sarah Evans, Montgomery Gentry, Sammy Kershaw and more performed at the 10th anniversary of the Oregon Jamboree. The event was reported profitable, netting approximately $80,000.
SHHS sophomore “Big John” Johnny Dale Brown Jr. died in an automobile accident in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Sweet Home Police cited 20 of 23 drivers stopped during a second crosswalk safety awareness operation at the intersection of 13th and Main.
The City of Sweet Home settled contracts with general employees and police officers and dispatchers. The general employees settled for 3 percent per year over three years. Police will receive 2 percent in the first year. The city will begin picking up their PERS contribution with a 1 percent raise in the third year. City management and employees will talk this year about how to limit insurance costs, which are more than $900 per month for employees with families.
SHHS Swim Coach Doug Peargin was named national swim coach of the year. He has coached swimming for 37 years.
Sewet Home High School graduate Navy Chief Petty Officer Vern Malone was among sailors who raised the gun turret from the Monitor. The monitor, among the first “ironclads,” was the first ship to use a rotating gun turret. It fought the Confederate “ironclad” CSS Merrimack to a draw in its only battle. It sank in a storm on Dec. 31, 1862.
SHHS Junior Jeremy Kennedy, 17, drowned while fishing in Calapooia River.
Former Supt. Bill Hampton was publicly reprimanded for failing to use professional judgment when handling a rifle on school property.
Abraham Burns of Sweet Home earned a championship in the adult male bow hunter division during an international tournament held in Dollar, Scotland.
The Second Annual Highland Games and Scottish Festival was larger than the year before, drawing more participants and spectators, about 1,500.
September
Sweet Home remembers 9/11; Lee Babcock succumbs; Track paving complete; Timber sale draws protesters
Magdalena Couch of Sweet Home recalled her work at Ground Zero during 9/11 terrorist attacks while Sweet Home spent Sept. 11 remembering the events of the previous year.
School Board Vice Chairman Lee Babcock died at his home in Crawfordsville.
Paving on the new SHHS track was complete. The project was funded partially by proceeds from the sale of timber cut at the junior high. Approximately $80,000 from the trees was combined with $20,000 raised by supporters and roughly $60,000 in district general fund money. The School District applied for grants to cover the portion from the general fund, but no grants have been awarded yet.
A small group showed up at the U.S. Forest Service work station to protest the Moose Matrix timber sale. They claimed the sale included old-growth timber.
Wimer Logging was closed by Weyerhaeuser after 52 years in business.
School District 55 enrollment was up at the start of the school year from 2,375 to 2,436.
Three persons were charged for vandalizing the pool. During the night, someone had broken into the pool and dumped paint, thinner and confetti into the pool. Charged in connection to the vandalism were Nate Skelley, 19; Weston Harrel, 15; and Casey Anne Thaxton, 15.
The Sheriff’s Office sought help from the public in identifying the body of a man found by a U.S. Forest Service surveyor in the Mt. Washington area. The body remained unidentified throughout the year.
Junior high teacher Tim Little, high school basketball junior varsity coach, was named assistant coach of the year.
The football team opened its season with a win at home.
Local historian Martha Steinbacher released a new book. “A New Life, A New Land” tells Sweet Home history through 200 photos.
A new high school teacher, Carl Duncan, was arrested on warrant for three felony sex charges in Idaho. He was extradited to Idaho where he faced trial.
The City Council approved raises for the city’s non-represented personnel to match that approved in the union contracts for general employees and police employees.
A four-alarm fire destroyed the former Midway Veneer/TOMCO mill, property owned by Dan Desler and Development by Design for the development of a resort and golf course in Sweet Home. The Mill was located on Green River Road.
School District 55 settled with Todd Tackitt, who was injured in the high school wood shop, for $60,000.
The district reported that it should have enough money to cover “worst-case” funding shortfalls, though the district later reported it would end up short some $67,000.
Nine of 13 licensed stores sold alcohol to minors. The following week, three of three Sweet Home bars and taverns refused to sell to minors.
Amanda Comer and Robert Rice were named junior first citizens.
Hawthorne School opened a new building with eight classrooms, one of several projects in an $18.6 million bond passed voters in May. School board members, district administrators and teachers moved classroom from old rooms to the new rooms.
October
DEA seizes pot plants from medical card holders; City wins awards for budget; Husky football clinches league title
State and federal laws clashed when the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration seized marijuana plants from local medical marijuana card holders Leroy Stubblefield and Scotty Russell. Local law enforcement officials could not seize the plants under state law, but the plants are still illegal at the federal level regardless of whether the grower has a medical card.
The City of Sweet Home won awards for its budget document and comprehensive annual financial report from Government Finance Officers of the United States and Canada.
Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District settled a contract with its paramedics providing raises of 7 percent the first year of the contract and with raises equal to the consumer price index-U in each of the next two years, with a minimum of 2 percent and maximum of 4 percent. They also agreed to split insurance insurance premium increases in years two and three of the contract.
The Huskies football team continued to dominate the field with a 28-21 win over Sisters, which had a 6-0 record. The team clinched the league title. The boys water polo team was hanging onto second place. John Lovik finished fourth in the cross country district meet and earned a spot at state.
The City of Sweet Home vacated an old, unused portion of Clark Mill Road in conjunction with Linn County. That section of the roadway angled southeast away from the present location of the road to Highway 20, now with development over the top of it. The existence of the public right-of-way was unknown until it was discovered in a land-use process.
Local students Paul Santana, Robert Rice, Jacob Culley, Amanda Comer, Brett Badgett, Frank Coulter, Erika Hernandez, Jarod Burcham, Tara Graham, Tera Winslow, Lesli Dimick, Joel Mather and William Riggle received an award from Rural Development Initiatives recognizing their work on the Ames Creek Restoration Project. Their former junior science teacher Tom Johnson joined them for the presentation of the award.
Cody McFarland, 16, was seriously injured in a single-car accident on Pleasant Valley Road. He died several days later at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. Four hundred persons attended a memorial in early November.
November
Corps replaces transformer at Green Peter; Rose Wyant named rodeo queen; Incumbents win council seats; Gerald Wooley succumbs
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers replaced a transformer installed when Green Peter Dam was constructed in the mid-1960s. The new transformer weighs 167,000 pounds and is rated at 96 megawatts, enough power to light 960,000 100-watt light bulbs. It was moved on a special trail that spread the weight over 64 tires. The total weight of the truck, trailer and transformer was 287,000 pounds. The job cost about $1,250,000.
The volleyball team, fourth place, finished its season against Sisters. They had a 4-6 record in league play. John Lovik finished 24th at state in cross country setting a PR of 17:08. Sweet Home swimmer Jayce Calhoon finished 11th in a national swimming tournament. The football team was eliminated in the first round of state playoffs by the Baker City Bulldogs, 22-6.
The SHHS choir earned the Etiquette Award at the Capital Conference Showcase.
Red Ribbon Week events included a march of 1,000 students from elementary schools and the junior high.
Rose Wyant of Lebanon was named 2003 Calapooia Rodeo Queen. First runnerup was Alicia Lown of Lebanon. Second runner-up was Robin Sliker of Lebanon. Three remaining candidates also will serve as members of the court. They include Nikki McDonald, Corrine Ciechanowski and Teri Rush, all of Lebanon.
In elections, City Council incumbents Tim McQueary, Craig Fentiman, Bob McIntire and Dick Hill retained their seats. Challenger Detta Duncan finished fifth. Commissioner incumbent John Lindsey, Republican, defeated Carole Johnson, Democrat.
Rep. Peter DeFazio, Democrat, held off a challenge for the Fourth Congressional District by former state Rep. Liz VanLeeuwen, Republican. Incumbent Dist. 17 Rep. Jeff Kropf, Republican, defeated Donald Beale, Democrat. For Senate District 6, incumbent Phil Barnhart, Democrat, defeated Republican challenger Robert Bolanos.
Sweet Home voters approved the renewal of the Sweet Home Police Department’s local option levy, which is used to fund operation costs. Voters rejected a request by the library to expand services in its local option levy. Voters will see a local option levy request from the library on the March ballot. The levy will expire on June 30.
Amanda Comer was named Linn County Junior First Citizen.
Robert “Skip” Malone was among seven ordained as deacons statewide.
Community activist Gerald Wooley died. He volunteered for many projects, and was a member of the Sweet Home Volunteer Fire Department. He served five times as acting city manager. He owned and operated Sherman Supply.
Sweet Home’s population was estimated by Portland State University at 8,235.
School District 55 altered three rural bus routes where safety over narrow gravel roads were a concern. Families on those routes objected saying all rural children should have bus transportation.
December
ODOT announces Hwy. 20 closure in April at Trout Creek; City repeats request for library funding; District 55 settles contracts, reports shortfall
Scott Proctor was elected vice chairman of the District 55 School Board to succeed the late Lee Babcock. Dave Vanderlip was appointed to fill the board vacancy.
Oregon Department of Transportation announced it would fully close Highway 20 at Trout Creek to replace a culvert there with a bridge in April. The decision was some $500,000 cheaper than an extended one-lane detour over the summer. The decision was aimed to minimize impact to summer recreational use of the area.
Sweet Home City Council decided to take out a $2 million loan from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to pay for a sewer demonstration project to eliminate inflow and infiltration.
The council also decided to repeat its request for expanding library services in a levy request. The levy would replace an operating levy expiring June 30. The request is for $207,696 up from $122,384. The election is scheduled for March 11.
Mikayla Rossiter was appointed as Sweet Home’s code enforcement officer.
School District 55 settled contracts with teachers and administrators, providing a 3-percent raise and an increase in its contribution to insurance premiums from $454 to $485. The district also announced a projected shortfall of $68,000.
The annual Christmas parade was combined with the nighttime lighted truck parade. Spectators and participants praised the decision. Rice Logging won the grand sweepstakes.
The Sweet Home Community Foundation announced its first grant cycle for local nonprofit projects. Up to $3,000 could be awarded to individual projects. The foundation expects to announce grant winners in March.
Robert Rice, Erin Strickler and Sean Martin were the first youths to be honored on a new Wall of Recognition.
High school students and Gail Gregory completed a new mural in the City Hall basement, where engineering technicians and the building official now work.